Tom's Hardware > All Reviews > Special > Miscellaneous > CeBIT 2005: Is PC Entertainment (Finally) Ready for the Living Room?

Linksys Media Link

06:00 - Tuesday 15 March 2005 by THG Reporting Team

Linksys is the last of the big network manufacturers to offer a multimedia solution. The Wireless-G Media Link stands out above all due to its really user-friendly interface, with a remote control that uses the same color codes as most living-room recorders. It's also capable of playing Web radio without using the PC.

Tatung Digital Media Adapter

Like Pinnacle, Tatung offers a DMA capable of playing HD content. It uses an Equator 350 MHz BSP-15 processor. As for its outputs, it's even more modern than the ShowCenter, which offers an HDMI connector in addition to YUV .

Going Wireless

It is possible to distribute content without wires without planting devices all over your living room and office. Here are a few solutions.

ADS Tech TV-Link

Here's a good idea! For now, what we've seen above all is a multiplication of audio-dedicated wireless solutions. ADS Tech has finally added video. The TV-Link's case obviously includes Wi-Fi for communicating with a PC. You can connect any analog video source using cinch connectors. For example, you can connect an analog video recorder for transferring VHS cassettes to your PC. Or, in the other direction, you can show video that's on the PC on a TV set.

Asus Wireless TV Out

Asus also offers a solution for wireless video distribution. It does this via the graphics card, but it doesn't include sound. It's basically a remote-video solution. The signal travels through a small antenna. A receiver connects to the monitor. We weren't really convinced of its usefulness.

Sony NAS CZ-1

Sony continues to flirt with convergence with original solutions. The NAS CZ-1 is a small compact stereo that can play music from the PC and Web radio. For once, Sony hasn't developed a proprietary solution - this one links to any PC via Ethernet. On the other hand, Wi-Fi is not included, which does seem a bit backward nowadays. The mini-stereo stands out above all due to its unique looks, which make you want to put it on display rather than hide it. Sony's expertise is evident in this product.